Christmas tree

ABSTRACT

A Christmas tree that includes a stem or trunk supported in a conventional base and a plurality of one-piece branch supports coupled to the trunk at different levels thereof, the supports being constituted by sleeves of a thermoplastic material or the like, wherein the outside parts of the supports have a plurality of symmetrically distributed cylindrical perforations with longitudinal axes parallel to that of the sleeve, tree branches being inserted in the perforations; the upper portions of the perforations terminate in radial slots of substantially rectangular cross section, that permit the folding and unfolding of the branches in relation with the stem.

May28,1974 ,.NKLEIMAN 3,813,277

CHRISTMAS TREE Filed Apil 25, 1972 2 sheets-sheet 1 United States PatentO "ice .ted M,1,3;,l

the supports are concentrically coupled to the stem 13 by 3,813,277fastening means at different levels, the supports being CHRISTMAS TREEinserted over the stem one by one. The supports may be Isaac Noe KleimanFray Juan de Tortlnemada 157, manufactured from a thermoplastic materialor the like, Fl d AMrexzigo ssMicozn 268 and include a sleeve portion 16with an inner diameter l e pli l A47ge/0 substantially equal to that ofthe stem 13. The sleeve portion includes in its periphery a plurality ofprotuberances U.S. Cl. 161 Z4 1 Claim 17 which extend through the lengthof the sleeve portion 16, the protuberances being tapered at the lowerends of ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLSURE l0 the same, with said sleeve portionforming an integral A Christmas tree that includes a stem nr trunk snp.unity. The protuberances 17 cross one to each other and ported in aconventional base, and a plurality of one-piece to the inner tubularPortion 16 and they have longitudibranch supports coupled to the trunkat different levels nal holes or Perforations 19 Wh1eh are symmetrleallydistnercof, the supports being constituted by sleeves of a tributed in acircle concentric to the stem, with the1r lonthermoplastic material orthe like, wherein the outside gitndinal axes Parallel to that of thesleeve Portion T6- parts of the supports have a plurality ofsymmetrically In these perforations, the ends of the branches 15 are1ndistributed cylindrical perforations with longitudinal axes ser ted;said Perforations terminates in the nPPer Part of parallel to that ofthe sleeve, tree branches being inserted the SnPPort 14 at slots 20radially distributed from the in the perforations; the upper portions ofthe perforations Central section to the periphery of the support,Permit' terminate in radial slots of substantially rectangular cross 20ting the folding and unfolding of the branches and mainsection, thatpermit the folding and unfolding of the taining them at the same timefastened in a Predeterbranches in relation with the stent, mined portionradial to the stem or trunk.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with a preferredspecific embodiment, it will be under- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION stoodthat this description is intended to illustrate and This inventionrefers to ornamental articles and, more Bo taillduly hmlt the scope ofthe mvennon' particularly to an ornamental Christmas tree.

The great demand of this sort of decorative articles has resulted innumerous improvements in its various parts. However, until today, thecoupling of the tree branches to the stem or trunk of the same, haslacked a simple and economical device, that may be produced on a largescale and at a low cost, and that permits the coupling of severalbranches at the same level around the trunk or stem, with thepossibility of folding and unfolding them in relation with the trunk.

Then the object of this invention is to provide a Christmas tree,comprising a simple and economical support for the branches, thatpermits the coupling of several 40 branches at the same level around thestem or trunk and the folding and unfolding of the branches in relationto 1. In a Christmas tree comprising in combination, a

base supporting a stem and removable tree branches, said stem havingmounted there along a plurality of support means for carrying insertableand removable tree branches, said support means being fixed at diiierentlevels of said stem, wherein the improvement comprises a single piecesupport means that includes a sleeve portion with a plurality ofprotuberances peripherally and symmetrically distributed over the lengthof said sleeve portion, said protuberances crossing one to each otherand being tapered at the lower ends thereof, said protuberances havinglongitudinal, substantially cylindrical perforations with theirlongitudinal axes parallel to that of said sleeve portions, the upperportion of each perforation ending in a perpendicular slot ofsubstantially rectangular cross the trunk' section, said slot extendingradially from the inside of BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS each supportmeans to the periphery thereof, permitting the folding and unfolding ofsaid branches in relation The above, and other advantages of theinvention will with said stetn become apparent from the descriptiontaken in coniunc- References Cited ggdnigt ttllilrcompanying drawings ofa preferred em- UNITED STATES PATENTS FIG. 1 is a vertical elevationalview illustrating a tree 50 1,555,621 9/ 1925 Barker 161-24 with branchsupports installed on the same according to 3,131,112 4/1963 Abramson161--24 the invention. 3,115,435 12/ 1963 Abramson 161- 24 FIG. 2. is avertical elevational view of a branch sup- 3,603,780 9/ 1971 Lu 240-10 Rport of the invention. 3,616,107 10/ 1971 Kershner 161- 24 FIG. 3 is across sectional view of the support shown 55 3,594,260 7/ 1971Dieifenbach 161- 24 in FIG. 2. 3,679,528 7/ 1972 Spiegel 161-24 FIG. 4is a top plan view of the support shown in 3,639,196 2/ 1972 Hermauson161--14 FIGS. 2 and 3. 3,634,180 1/ 1972 De Cosmo 161-24 FIG. 5 is abottom plan view of the support shown in FIGS, 2 to 4, 60 GEORGE F.LESMES, Primary Examiner The Christmas tree 11 of this inventionincludes a W R DIXON, JR Assistant Examiner supporting base 12 that maybe triangular shaped or of any other conliguration, a cylindrical stemor trunk 13 U.S. Cl. X.R. resting in the base, and supports 14 for thebranches 15; 161--13

